5 X-Files Monsters of the Week, Ranked
These episodes are loved by some fans even more than the ones related to the main plot of the series.
The "monster of the week" concept, which was introduced in the iconic TV series The X-Files, when Mulder and Scully encountered a particularly nasty creature or psychopath not connected to the main storyline, became so popular that some fans love these episodes even more than the main plot.
And with a rumored reboot of the series on the horizon, they hope that the concept will not be dropped. Here are five of the best such episodes, ranked in our opinion. Also beware of mild spoilers for the series.
5. Darkness Falls (Season 1, Episode 20)
This episode from the show's first season scared a lot of fans the first time they saw it. The story begins with loggers disappearing in the woods and our favorite duo arriving to investigate.
What they encounter is an ancient species of glowing insects that the loggers have awakened, and it almost ends tragically for the agents, showing viewers that they are not invulnerable.
4. Ice (Season 1, Episode 8)
With some heavy The Thing (1982) vibes, this story about alien worms finds Mulder and Scully fighting for their lives in an Alaskan research facility.
Extremely scary, this episode is definitely one of the closest to the horror genre in the series.
3. Home (Season 4, Episode 2)
Another horror-themed episode, this one was also the first to receive a viewer discretion warning for graphic content. In the style of The Hills Have Eyes, it features a family of inbred mutants terrorizing the nearby town.
One of the darkest episodes of the series.
2. Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose (Season 3, Episode 4)
Mulder and Scully team up with a grumpy old psychic who can see how people will die in order to stop a murderer. This episode stands out because it has some heartwarming and even tragic moments in addition to the dark plot.
1. Beyond the Sea (Season 1, Episode 13)
Featuring a deranged killer with psychic abilities, Luther Lee Boggs, playing Hannibal Lecter-style with the agents, this episode also shows Scully dealing with a personal loss.
Her father dies at the beginning of the episode and Boggs uses this to manipulate Dana. This episode has everything you could want, from a scary villain to an intense plot to a huge dramatic element.